Kingston upon Thames, All Saints

Address: Market Place, Kingston upon Thames. KT1 1JP.

Map Ref: TQ179693

12 Bells • Tenor 18 cwt.

Sunday Service Ringing: 8.30 - 9.30 am & 5.00 - 6.00 pm

Practice: Wednesday 7.45 - 9.30 pm

The tower door is in the north-east pillar, and there are 52 steps to the ringing room. When the church is closed, entry is through the choir vestry on the north side (opposite John Lewis). If this door is also closed, ring the bell and wait for someone to come down and let you in.

Tower Captain: Paul Flavell

This tower has its own web site.

History

Kingston is an historic market town where seven Saxon Kings were crowned. Nothing remains of the original Saxon church, and very little of the Norman one. The current building is largely 15^th, 16^th and 19^th century, with Victorian stained glass windows. The earliest record of the bells goes back to 1500. The oldest bell in the present ring is dated 1748, the newest from 1972 when the augmentation from an awkward anti-clockwise ring of ten to an easy ring of 12 took place.

Transport

By Road: Aim for the Town Centre via either the A307 or A308. The town is a controlled area and restrictions are rigorously applied. Since January 2004 a complete ban on parking in the Market Place has been introduced. Car park details, with a link to a street plan showing the car parks and stations, are on the tower website.

By Bus: All routes to Kingston bus station. The church is 2 minutes walk.

By Train: To Kingston station from Waterloo. The church is 2 minutes walk.

Facilities

There is a toilet in the church.

There are many pubs and restaurants around the Market Square.